Elm October 2017

EDUCATION LEADER AND MANAGER

Representing leaders and managers in education P O L I CY

WHY £1.3 BILLION IS NOT ENOUGH page 8

PROFILE

M A ST E R C L A S S

AMiE PRESIDENT ON THREATS TO EDUCATION page 14

FROM SPECIAL MEASURES TO GOOD IN 18 MONTHS page 17

OCTOBER 2017 @ATL_AMiE

The National Education Union brings together ATL and the NUT as the professional voice for education.

Find out what your new union will focus on. Page 10

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JOINING TOGETHER 06/10/2017 14:58

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See how marking GCSEs and A-levels in 2018 could benefit you and your school P Gain a fresh perspective and inspire your students P Enhance your CV - great for career progression P Earn ÂŁ500 to ÂŁ1,000 rising in subsequent years P Improve your mark scheme knowledge, helping with mock exam marking

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ELM / OCTOBER 2017

INSIDE 4

Education news: the National Education Union launches, the funding formula, and new primary tests

6

The view from Wales and Northern Ireland

8

No cure for cuts – 88% of schools will be worse off

10

The National Education Union – aims and priorities

14

Meet new AMiE president Josie Whiteley

17

Leading a school from special measures to its first ‘good’ grading

20

Q&A: How to forge your own path as a new head

22

A game-changer for trade unionism

ELM is the magazine from the ATL section of the National Education Union, 7 Northumberland Street, London WC2N 5RD Tel 020 7930 6441 Email info@amie.org.uk Website www.amie.org.uk Editor Sally Gillen ELM is produced and designed for the National Education Union by Think, Capital House, 25 Chapel Street, London NW1 5DH

Tel 020 3771 7200 Email info@thinkpublishing.co.uk Sub-editor Justine Conway Designer Grant Pearce Art editor George Walker Advertising sales Michael Coulsey or Anthony Bennett 020 3771 7200 Account director Kieran Paul Managing director Polly Arnold The NEU accepts no liability for any insert, display or classified advertisement included in this publication. While every reasonable care is taken to ensure that all advertisers are reliable

and reputable, the NEU can give no assurance that it will fulfil its obligation under all circumstances.

The views expressed in articles in ELM are the contributors’ own and do not necessarily reflect the NEU policy. Official policy statements issued on behalf of the NEU are indicated as such. All rights reserved. Material contained in this publication may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without prior permission of the NEU. Cover: Getty Images

MARK WRIGHT AMiE DIRECTOR

@ MarkW_AMiE

Welcome

For six months, the Government has been mulling over responses to its consultation on the national funding formula.

Now we have its verdict.

No new money from Treasury, no long-term funding commitment allowing schools to plan, and no commitment to boosting funding in post-16, high needs and early years. Schools in historically underfunded areas may receive some extra money, but it will take years for the underfunding in those schools to be completely reversed. In summary, 88% of schools and academies will still have less money in 2020 than they did in 2015, despite education secretary Justine Greening reallocating £1.3 billion from other areas of the DfE budget to give to schools and academies.

Greening’s decision in July was recognition that there isn’t enough cash. But her announcement three months on is bitterly disappointing.

This is why the National Education Union will keep up the pressure on Government to urgently boost funding for schools, academies and colleges, which have all suffered cuts for several years. Our Parliamentary lobby will drive home the message.

Campaigning on funding will be a National Education Union priority, alongside workload.

To find out more about what we will be doing on these issues, see page 10.

There’s still time to sign up for AMiE’s first leadership conference next month. We have a great line-up of speakers, including executive headteacher Marie-Claire Bretherton, who led a school with a history of underperformance from special measures to its first ever ‘good’ grading.

ELM spoke to Marie-Claire ahead of the conference, along with Sam Coy, the head of school she appointed, about how they transformed the school. If you want to find out more, sign up for one of the FREE places at the conference. It’s a great chance to network with other leaders and take back lots of ideas to your school or college. Hope to see you there.

GET IN TOUCH

www.facebook.com/atlunion @atl_amie

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NEED TO KNOW

NEWS IN BRIEF KEEP UP TO DATE WITH THE LATEST EDUCATION SECTOR NEWS

NATIONAL EDUCATION UNION LAUNCHED Members of the National education system and the profession Education Union joined MPs deserves to be listened to.” and leading education figures She added: “We will empower to celebrate the launch of the members in our workload campaign new union. to say yes to tasks that impact Shadow education secretary on progression, and no to the Angela Rayner was among the meaningless, data-driven tasks that guests who gathered in Westminster have no impact on the love of learning. on 6 September and heard When education professionals, from from Niamh Sweeney school and college leaders and Louise Regan, to teachers and lecturers joint presidents and our essential of the National support staff, are Education Union. given the autonomy ATL section to make decisions president Niamh they are trained Sweeney said and experienced education is facing to make, workload multiple challenges, will decrease.” including lack of NUT section ATL section president Niamh Sweeney funding, a flawed president Louise Regan accountability system, a praised the impact of the recruitment and retention unions’ funding campaign. crisis, and excessive workload.

“The funding formula will not She went on to say the dire situation be fair until all schools have enough has prompted ATL and NUT members money to do all the things they need to create a new, stronger union. “It will to do.” give us the chance to take back control Find out more about the National of education,” she said. “Our children Education Union’s campaigns at and young people deserve a better www.neu.org.uk/campaigns.

PHOTOGRAPHY: DANNY FITZPATRICK

NEW PRIMARY TESTS "DEEPLY DISAPPOINTING" Joint general secretary of the National Education Union Kevin Courtney has vowed to work with parents and educationalists to stop the introduction of two new tests announced by the Government.

Courtney said the Government has “broken its promise” not to increase the assessment burden on primary schools by bringing in a new reception baseline assessment and a multiplication check.“These tests will be a waste

of valuable time, energy and money,” he said.

However, Courtney welcomed improvements to writing assessments in Years 2 and 6, adding that they were a “welcome indication” that the Department for Education is prepared to listen to the concerns of education professionals.

But he criticised the decision to keep key stage 1 tests in place until 2022 and key stage 2 indefinitely.

“The National Education Union believes there are better ways of assessing children, and better ways of ensuring school accountability.”

FUNDING FORMULA FAILS UNIONS’ FIVE TESTS The National Education Union has intensified its campaign on school funding, following the announcement of a national funding formula that will mean most schools will have less to spend per pupil in 2020 than they did in 2015.

Joint general secretaries of the National Education Union Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney spoke at fringe sessions at the party conferences last month, warning that the extra £1.3 billion – to be found within the existing Department for Education budget – was not enough.

Speaking at the Liberal Democrat conference in Bournemouth, Dr Bousted said: “This announcement does nothing to repair cuts since 2015. Schools have effectively lost £2.8 billion.”

She urged delegates to join the National Education Union’s Parliamentary rally this week (24 October).

Responding to Justine Greening’s announcement on funding, the week before the party conferences, Courtney said: “We set Justine Greening five tests.

She has failed every one of them.”

Unions had called for the cuts to be reversed; for an increase of at least £2 billion every year to maintain funding levels in real terms; for high needs, early years and post-16 to be fairly funded; for funding to be announced and guaranteed for at least the next five years to allow schools to plan; and for schools in historically underfunded areas to receive extra money to make them level with those in better-funded areas.

However, Greening made no long-term funding commitment, and although schools in historically underfunded areas may receive some extra money, it will not be enough to protect them against inflation and other cost increases.

“The NEU will continue to lead this campaign alongside parents until the Government sees sense,” said Courtney.

See feature, page 8.

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NEED TO KNOW

NEU LAUNCHES FE PROJECT

The National Education Union is raising awareness among MPs of the problems facing further education.

Joint general secretaries Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney have written to every MP in England as part of our Effective Education project – securing skills for a post-Brexit future, highlighting the challenges FE will face in the next few years.

The letter warns that colleges will be vital in a post-Brexit economy if there is limited access to skilled workers from Europe.

“Only through proper funding and a workforce development strategy will the needs of the labour market in your area, and the learners within your constituency, be met,” says the letter.

The NEU’s FE policy specialist Janet Clark said: “FE has had its funding cut even more drastically than schools and over a longer time period, since 2010 rather than 2012. It’s vital that colleges have the funding and the staff to train people in the skills the UK will need once we leave the European Union.”

“Most MPs will have no personal experience of FE, having gone from school to university, so we are keen to develop their knowledge of this part of the education sector,” she added.

The letter says that National Education Union members based in colleges would welcome a visit from their MP or be happy to meet them at their Westminster or constituency office.

As ELM went to press, Clark had arranged several MP visits.

For more information, contact Janet Clark janet.clark@neu.org.uk.

FIRE SAFETY GUIDANCE FOR LEADERS Guidance for school leaders in England and Wales on carrying out fire risk assessments following the Grenfell Tower fire has been published by education unions.

The guidance, drawn up by the National Education Union with NAHT and ASCL, includes information on how to find a competent fire assessor and how to carry out tests on cladding without disturbing asbestos.

Unions are pressing the English and Welsh governments to survey all schools and log all buildings clad in combustible materials. www.neu.org.uk/ leadersfireguidance.

NEW AMiE PRESIDENT ADDRESSES TUC CONGRESS DON’T OVER-PREPARE FOR INSPECTION, SAYS OFSTED CHIEF

Forcing post-16 students to repeatedly resit maths and English GCSEs is affecting their motivation and mental health, AMiE president Josie Whiteley told TUC Congress in Brighton in September. Seconding a motion that was passed on post-16 education, which included an amendment from AMiE calling for compulsory resits to be abolished, Whiteley said they are making students feel like failures. There is evidence showing students can develop literacy and numeracy skills via different types of qualification, she added.

Go to page 14 for a profile.

PHOTOGRAPHY: DANNY FITZPATRICK

Josie Whiteley speaks at TUC

School leaders should make sure they do not set unrealistic expectations for their staff ahead of inspections, according to Ofsted chief inspector Amanda Spielman.

In an interview with Report, Spielman said there had been a lot of discussion in recent years about whether schools over-prepare for inspections, but that Ofsted likes schools to do the minimum.

There are no specific requirements on schools other than those set out in law or Department for Education statutory guidance, she said, adding that inspection is designed to see schools as they operate.

“We do a lot of work to defuse the fear, " she added. "But some of it is over to school leaders to

make sure they don’t set unrealistic expectations for their staff.”

AMiE director Mark Wright said: “The difficulty for school leaders is the disconnect between Ofsted’s policy statement about expecting minimum preparation and the practice of Ofsted inspectors holding schools to account over a huge number of inspection criteria. Given the high-stakes accountability, where jobs are at stake, it’s entirely rational that leaders will seek to be ‘Ofsted ready’ – despite the impact this has on workload. The answer is to fundamentally review the overall effectiveness of Ofsted, which the National Audit Office has decided to do.”

To read the full interview, go to www.neu.org.uk/report.

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COMMENT: WALES

Plans for new body to oversee tertiary sector PROPOSALS TO TURN THE HIGHER EDUCATION FUNDING COUNCIL FOR WALES INTO THE TERTIARY EDUCATION AND RESEARCH COMMISSION NEED TO BE CAREFULLY HANDLED

T

he tertiary, or post-compulsory, sector in Wales has seen a lot of changes in the past few years.

Now the Welsh Government is looking again at the sector, and at taking a more joined-up approach to post-compulsory education and training (PCET). Proposals include further and higher education, work-based learning (WBL) and apprenticeships. Included, too, are school sixth forms, a key element of the PCET sector, with over half of 16-year-olds staying on at school.

The recent Welsh Government consultation document says:“The PCET system in Wales needs to operate in such a way that all providers, from work-based learning and adult community learning providers through to the most successful universities, are focused on supporting prosperity and security within their locality and region, by providing learning that promotes sustainable local employment and rewarding career pathways.”

The main change will be the transformation of the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) into a new body to oversee the whole sector. The Government has produced a range of proposals for the new Tertiary Education and Research Commission for Wales (TERCW).

They include: • strategic planning of education and skills delivery across all post-compulsory education and training in Wales • establishing a mechanism for managing the relationship between the Commission and the institutions and training providers it regulates or funds • funding, contracting, quality of provision, financial monitoring and audit of higher

“WITHOUT INVOLVEMENT FROM PEOPLE ON THE GROUND, THE GOVERNMENT RISKS CREATING A SYSTEM THAT DOESN’T WORK FOR EVERYONE”

education, further education, work-based learning, adult community learning, and relevant employability and employer-led programmes, and • functions currently undertaken by the Government.

We will be looking closely at the plans and calling for unions to be involved and consulted as its proposals become clearer.

Without involvement from people on the ground, the Government risks creating a system that doesn’t work for everyone.

Consistent measures in post-16 Changes to the consistent measures for the post-16 sector will start to come into force in the coming month. The Welsh Government is addressing what it calls a ‘weakness’ in the system, identified by the Hill Review and the Review of Qualifications for 14- to 19-year-olds.

It is seeking to address differences between the ways in which school sixth forms and further education institutions in Wales are examined.

The Welsh Government is suggesting post-16 performance measures should include: • achievement (what proportion of learners who started their course completed it and what proportion of completed courses resulted in the learner achieving the qualification they were aiming for?)

• value added (what progress a learner makes relative to that of ‘similar’ learners) • destination (what a learner moves on to do after completing their learning).

The final framework will have implications on the ground, but it is not yet clear what they will be.

Also over the autumn term, we are expecting more progress on the Professional Standards for FE lecturers and WBL practitioners.

COLUMNIST MARY VAN DEN HEUVEL POLICY ADVISER, NATIONAL EDUCATION UNION CYMRU ATL SECTION

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COMMENT: NORTHERN IRELAND

What will Brexit mean in Northern Ireland?

LEAVING THE EUROPEAN UNION RAISES QUESTIONS FOR THE ONLY UK COUNTRY THAT HAS A LAND BORDER WITH EUROPE

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COLUMNIST MARK LANGHAMMER DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL EDUCATION UNION NORTHERN IRELAND

rexit is a live issue across the UK, but nowhere more than in Northern Ireland. The north/south border is one of three priority issues within initial Brexit negotiations. Northern Ireland voted against Brexit by 56% to 44%, with the number against higher in the areas close to the border.

So how will Brexit affect education? So far, the debate has been on higher education – notably on access for international students, fees, research collaboration and student mobility. But what about the effect on schools and further education?

Most obviously, Brexit may affect pupils and students at schools and colleges close to the border.

A small number of around 400 school pupils cross the border to attend school. Of those, four times more Republic of Ireland pupils travel north than the other way. The number of further education students crossing the border is likely to be proportionately higher.

Brexit is a highly contentious issue, as it plays into inter-communal and nationalitybased politics. The UK’s August position paper envisages the retention of the pre-EEC ‘Common Travel Area’ with a ‘frictionless’ border, without physical infrastructure.

Critics have parodied this position as “having your cake and eating it”. At best, the details are sketchy. The resurrection of land-border checkpoints will be resisted by republicans, while creating a ‘de facto’ border at airports and seaports (the Irish Sea option) will be unacceptable to unionists propping up the Conservative Government at Westminster. Any form of checking at the ‘tariff’ boundary is likely to slow (and diminish) cross-border pupil and student journeys.

In teacher education, the SCoTENS project (Standing Conference on Teacher Education, North and South) derives some of its funding from the EU. Will it remain in place? SCoTENS has facilitated teacher exchanges, and cross-border (and EU-wide)

“THE PROSPECT OF BREXIT IS ALREADY SEEING A REDUCTION IN PUPILS WHO ARE NOT NORTHERN IRISH” teacher research, as well as seed-funding pedagogical research. SCoTENS may have to narrow its focus. Likewise, within the teacher education institutions, a diminution of international student admissions and of diversity is likely.

Brexit will have implications for diversity in education. Some 3.9% of pupils in Northern Ireland are designated as ‘non-white’. Further, around 4% of school pupils register as ‘newcomer’ pupils, totalling 14,000 children (Polish and Lithuanian being the most common nationalities).

The prospect of Brexit is already seeing a reduction in pupils who are not Northern Irish. In an education system where some 93% of pupils attend segregated schools based on community or religious affiliation, is this loss of diversity something we can be comfortable with?

Brexit will even affect the ease with which schools can arrange trips for educational, sporting or other purposes.

EU funding may also be affected. The PEACE IV programme, 2014/20, worth €229 million, has a strong emphasis on the needs of disadvantaged children and young people. Despite warm words from the prime minister, it is unclear whether Whitehall will supplement any matched-funding deficit.

Another commonly used EU programme is Erasmus, a student exchange programme that supports students studying across Europe as part of their tertiary or vocational education.

Over 25 years, some 200,000 UK students have benefited, including many from Northern Ireland. By living and studying in another country, students have been able to embrace other cultures, gain essential life skills and truly understand the importance of integration.

Northern Ireland’s six further education colleges hold deep concerns about the uncertainty of student access to Erasmus post-Brexit.

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P O L I C Y M AT T E R S

NO CURE FOR CUTS

The Government has pledged to put £1.3 billion more into schools over the next two years, but the joint unions school cuts campaign has calculated that 88% of schools and academies will still be worse off than they were in 2015 WORDS SALLY GILLEN

S

econdary headteacher Dr Robin Bevan will have £238 more for each of his pupils under the new national funding formula announced last month by education secretary Justine Greening (see box). Good news.

Except he won’t get the extra funding until 2020. His school, Southend High School for Boys, is one of the worstfunded schools in England. The perpupil allocation has plummeted by £396 since 2012-13. So, while the minimum £4,800 per pupil announced by Greening – with more for disadvantaged students – looks like a significant boost, he will in fact have £118 less to spend per pupil than he did in 2012-13.

“Every year for the past six years, our per-pupil funding has been going down, which will be true of many schools in similar circumstances,” says Dr Bevan.

“The £4,800 is clearly very welcome and is long overdue, but we won’t see it until 2019/20. By then we will still be below where we were eight years ago.”

Most schools across England will have a similar story. Data compiled by the National Education Union for the School Cuts website shows 88% will have less money in 2020 than in 2015.

For the average primary school this will be a loss of £52,546 a year and £178,321 for the average secondary. Here is the problem: schools have lost £2.8 billion, Greening has allocated £1.3 billion.

That any extra money has been made available is testament to the hugely successful campaigning of education unions, headteachers and parents, says NEU policy adviser Usman Gbajabiamila. “We have this extra £1.3 billion because 750,000 people changed their vote in the general election over concerns about school funding.”

It is a lot of money, but not enough.

“It’s still significantly short of what is required,” he says. “Schools have already made significant cuts to curriculum, employees, school trips and equipment. The money announced is not enough to redress the cuts.”

Another problem is that it only covers the next two years, whereas schools tend to plan over a longer period, says Gbajabiamila.

Dr Bevan agrees, adding: “When you look at the announcement in detail there are a number of problems. There is no indication that the £4,800 is index-linked. In addition, if the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) decides – and it may have to – that teachers’ pay should be pushed up two, three, four per cent, then unless the £4,800 goes up too, our school’s finances will be in real difficulties.”

Gbajabiamila says the reason schools are struggling is that they have had to meet additional costs created by Government decisions, such as additional pension and national insurance costs. “If the Government is then going to support lifting the public sector pay cap, then it must provide the funding for schools. It will not be possible to pay teachers inflation-proofed increases within this allocation. It will completely wipe out any extra funding.”

Then there is the uncertainty over where exactly the £1.3 billion will come from. All of it will be found within the existing Department for Education

THE NATIONAL EDUCATION UNION’S CAMPAIGN ON FUNDING Headteachers, teachers, support staff and parents were due to join together on 24 October to lobby MPs to reverse the cuts and fund schools properly. Hundreds of members of the National Education Union arranged meetings with their local MP on the day to talk about the impact of cuts. Following Justine Greening’s funding announcement, schools minister Nick Gibb wrote to MPs telling them schools have enough money, but the National Education Union also wrote to MPs rebutting the claim. The general secretaries of the National Education Union, NAHT and ASCL wrote to headteachers and chairs of governors urging them to look at the updated information on www.schoolcuts.org.uk.

budget – £280 million of it from free schools. But what about the rest? The National Education Union is working with shadow schools minister and former teacher Mike Kane MP to press the Government for an answer to this question, which is causing some disquiet among school and college leaders.

“Setting a minimum per pupil is a step in the right direction,” says Gbajabiamila. “Clearly, the department has recognised that what it has been providing is not enough. But what we really want to see is more work

“WHAT WE REALLY WANT TO SEE IS MORE WORK TO ESTABLISH JUST HOW MUCH IT COSTS TO RUN A SCHOOL, SO THAT SCHOOLS HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO FUNCTION”

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P O L I C Y M AT T E R S

to establish just how much it costs to run a school, so that schools have enough money to function.”

“What quality of education does the department want to provide for children?” he adds. “Does it want an all-singing, all-dancing model where children can do art, science, technology, music and drama? Or does it want a base level where children do English and maths and some science?

At the moment schools are struggling to provide a broad, varied curriculum with the funding they are receiving.”

Faced with year-on-year cuts, Bevan, like many leaders, has had to make some tough decisions just to keep his school solvent. Over the past five years, he has boosted pupil numbers from 950 to around 1,300 – without taking on extra staff. Class sizes have risen, contact time has been reduced for sixth form students, and every teacher now teaches more classes with fewer resources. The school has had to

curtail most aspects of its outreach work and severely limit access to external professional development.

“I’d be really surprised if there are any headteachers who haven’t had to remove some element of provision,” he says.

Larger class sizes, fewer teaching and support staff and reduced curriculum choices have all been a consequence of cuts in schools across the country. Parents are being asked for financial contributions, and basics, such as pencils, are being rationed.

“Guaranteeing a minimum amount per pupil is a good, strong message for the public, but nobody is going to read beyond to see that it won’t be available for two years. The problems are still there, but they are hidden behind this announcement,” Dr Bevan points out.

What’s more, the failure to announce any more funding for post-16, an issue highlighted by the National Education Union, also

complicates the picture, adds Dr Bevan.

In schools that have sixth forms, most are cross-subsidising sixth form provision, using money that’s intended for younger pupils. Sixth formers are still on £4,000 each.

In the colleges, the only way most are surviving is because they have reasonable levels of employer engagement, who are part-funding the courses. “It seems a bit bizarre that a 15-year-old attracts a minimum of £4,800, but as soon as they turn 16 and go somewhere else they only get £4,000. That doesn’t make sense.”

Neither, he argues, does the decision not to provide any urgently needed transition money. “When you introduce a new formula you need a decent transition model, and that feels like it’s been fudged late in the day. You have schools below the £4,800 now, which even next year won’t get this amount.

The transition model is part of the mess and, to be honest, that’s where extra money was needed.”

“The campaign is going strong,” says Gbajabiamila. “We will continue to put pressure on Government to ensure it funds schools properly.”

WHAT WAS ANNOUNCED AT A GLANCE The national funding formula will be introduced in April 2018. Local authorities will decide how much money is allocated to individual schools until 2020.

There will be: • an increase in the basic amount allocated for every pupil • a minimum per-pupil funding level – £4,800 for secondaries and £3,500 for primaries – to target the lowest-funded schools • a minimum cash increase for every school of one per cent per pupil by 2019/20, with the most underfunded schools seeing rises of three per cent per pupil in 2018/19 and 2019/20 • a £110,000 lump sum for every school to help with fixed costs, and an additional £26 million to rural and isolated schools to help them manage their unique challenges.

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F E AT U R E

Joining together THE NATIONAL EDUCATION UNION BRINGS TOGETHER ATL AND THE NUT AS THE PROFESSIONAL VOICE FOR EDUCATION WORDS SALLY GILLEN

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MAIN ILLUSTRATION: GETTY IMAGES

ith more than 450,000 members who are leaders, teachers, lecturers and support workers, the National Education Union is committed to making education a great place to work, championing everyone who works in the sector.

Taking a collegiate approach, the National Education Union represents those working in maintained and independent schools and colleges across the UK. We want education to be a place that values and promotes professional expertise, works according to evidence of what is effective, and is backed by an inspection system that shares good practice, and has a broad curriculum to motivate children, young people and adults, allowing them to develop their interests and skills for the future.

Education enriches lives, and that’s why we are working to ensure schools and colleges sit at the heart of our communities, and education sits at the heart of our society.

The National Education Union will empower professionals to inspire generations, cultivating a love of learning that can be assessed in a meaningful way.

We need a fairly funded education system with qualified and continually trained teachers and professionals working in schools and colleges that have enough places for every learner at every level.

Together, we will shape the future of education.

“THE NATIONAL EDUCATION UNION WILL EMPOWER PROFESSIONALS TO INSPIRE GENERATIONS, CULTIVATING A LOVE OF LEARNING THAT CAN BE ASSESSED IN A MEANINGFUL WAY”

Priorities for education Funding is the single biggest threat to education. Cuts to college and school funding are having a devastating impact.

Since 2015, schools in England have had their funding per pupil frozen while inflation and other costs rise, leading to an effective £2.8 billion real-terms cut. In the run-up to June’s general election, campaigning by ATL-AMiE and the NUT forced the issue up the political agenda, and a Survation poll revealed that 750,000 voters switched their vote because they were concerned by school funding cuts. Recognising there is a funding shortfall, education secretary Justine Greening announced an extra £1.3 billion for schools – to be found in the existing Department for Education budget.

However, we have been clear that more money is needed. The National Education Union will build on the breakthrough achieved in the election, keeping up the pressure on Government to make money available in the autumn budget, which is

expected next month. We want two things: much more money in the funding pot and a fairer way to share it across schools and colleges with different needs. This week, the National Education Union is hosting a Parliamentary lobby, calling on the chancellor to provide additional funding, to reverse all funding cuts to date, to provide the resources to implement a fair funding formula, and to ensure no school loses out in real terms over the next five years.

Alongside funding, we will be keeping up pressure on the Government to address the workload burden. The National Education Union will survey leaders to find out about workload, and we will publish the results in the November/December issue of ELM. A separate survey of teachers in England is also being carried out, which includes questions on work-life balance, the causes of workload and ways to reduce it.

Go to www.amie.org.uk for more information.

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F E AT U R E

FAQs What is the vision for the National Education Union?

The National Education Union is committed to making education a great place to work, with sustainable workloads, attention to well-being and a collegiate approach; a great place to teach, which values and promotes professional expertise, learns from relevant data, and is backed by an inspection system that shares good practice; and, crucially, a great place to learn, with a broad curriculum to motivate children, young people and adults, allowing them to develop their interests and skills for the future.

By championing everyone who works in education, through supporting, advising and representing staff both individually and collectively, advocating good pay and working conditions, and providing quality CPD, we empower professionals to inspire generations, cultivating a love of learning, which is assessed in a meaningful way.

Together, we’ll shape the future of education.

Who will be the general secretary of the new union?

Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney are the joint general secretaries. The National Education Union will have joint general secretaries until 2023.

Who can join?

The National Education Union offers membership and a democratic voice to every membership category that existed in AMiE, the NUT and ATL: support staff, teachers, lecturers, leaders and managers in maintained schools, academies, free schools and independent schools in FE and HE in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

What does it cost to join?

There is a £10 new-joiner offer. A newjoiner, for the purpose of qualifying for a new-joiner offer rate, is someone who has been outside of ATL-AMiE/NUT membership for 36 months or more.

How can I join?

See our website, www.amie.org.uk, or call 0345 811 8111.

Do I need to convert my existing membership?

No – this is transferred automatically.

What happens during the transition period?

The transition period runs from the effective date of the National Education Union, 1 September 2017 to 1 January 2019, when the National Education Union fully amalgamates. During this time the ATL and NUT sections will run in parallel, overseen by a Joint Executive Council. The period will be used to bring together and integrate all systems and structures. AMiE members will continue to have a voice through AMiE council.

What should I do if I need help?

AMiE members can continue to contact the AMiE helpdesk, AMiEhelpline@neu.org.uk.

How can I get more involved?

The National Education Union is a campaigning union that is standing up for education. We launched two UK-wide campaigns in September on education funding and on workload.

See our website, www.neu.org.uk/ campaigns, for details of the campaigns and how to get involved in local, regional and national events taking place over the coming months.

There is no National Education Union rep at my workplace. What can I do?

If there is only an ATL-AMiE rep or an NUT section rep at your workplace, the members in the section without a rep now have the opportunity to meet to elect a rep. If such a rep isn’t elected, then members of that section may seek guidance, support and representation from the other section’s rep.

If there is neither an ATL-AMiE or an NUT section rep, all the NEU members in your workplace have the opportunity to elect either a rep for each section, or to elect a joint ATL-NUT NEU rep to act on behalf of all the NEU members at the workplace.

Joint general secretary of the National Education Union Kevin Courtney outlines his vision for the new union I’m incredibly proud to be joint general secretary of the National Education Union alongside Mary Bousted. All school and college leaders and education staff need a strong and united voice, both on the national stage and at the school level.

With more than 450,000 members, the National Education Union is that voice, representing all education professionals, including school leaders, lecturers and support staff working in state-funded and independent schools and colleges.

One union that represents the whole workforce can speak with authority both to Government and the wider education world and present genuine solutions to the serious funding, workload and pay issues facing our profession.

Mary and I are delighted that so many school leaders are members of the National Education Union. You have a vital role in our new union, leading by example and demonstrating that the values of trade unionism and leadership are both compatible and desirable. I’d like to welcome AMiE, which will continue working with and for our leadership members, continuing to develop support for ethical leadership.

I am excited to be jointly leading a union that represents a majority of teachers and all education professionals.

With our greater resources, we can do more for each of our members in whatever role and whatever sector they work.

I look forward to working with you all.

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PROFILE

Enough is enough NEW AMiE PRESIDENT JOSIE WHITELEY TELLS SALLY GILLEN SHE WILL PUSH FOR FAIRER FUNDING AND BETTER WORKLOADS

W

hen campaigning by unions, headteachers and parents forced funding cuts up the political agenda ahead of the general election, new AMiE president Josie Whiteley celebrated as much as anyone working in education. As a newly elected vice chair of governors at a secondary school in Barnsley and an experienced further education college manager, she sees the serious impact cuts are having on teaching and learning across the sector.

The lack of money is so serious that ATL-AMiE believes it is the single biggest threat to education.

Speaking to ELM as she takes up her year as president, Whiteley says: “Ten years ago, when funding was being cut in FE, we used to say that when the Government started to cut school funding people would take notice, and that’s what has happened.”

“It’s really sad that nobody picked up on this when it affected FE. It’s only now that the electorate has woken up,” she adds.

Anger among parents has added momentum to campaigning by heads, teachers and unions, intensifying the call to Government to increase funding urgently. Parents at a public meeting held by the head at the school where Whiteley is a governor were ‘up in arms’ when the dire financial situation was explained.

It is running up debts of £1,000 a day.

Whiteley, who joined AMiE in 2012 and quickly became active, firstly as a workplace rep and then as an AMiE Council member the following year, has been speaking out about the impact of cuts, and in April addressed ATL Annual Conference on the issue.

By the time voters went to the polls in June, political parties of all hues had heard the message that schools are now desperately underfunded and need more cash now. All the main parties pledged to increase funding. But the £1.3 billion announced for schools by education secretary Justine Greening, which will be found within the existing budget, was disappointing – described by unions as “a return to smoke and mirrors statements

on school funding” and significantly short of what’s needed to stop the huge cuts schools are making. Last month, Greening announced a new national funding formula – 88% of schools will be worse off in 2020 than they were in 2015, our School Cuts website shows.

In FE, the situation is worse still. A report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies, published in February, said spending per student in FE will have fallen 13% between 2010/11 and 2019/20.

As the new president as the National Education Union launches, Whiteley plans to use the platform to press the case for fairer funding across the education sector.

“Lack of funding is damaging our education system. Members of AMiE are in a position to say enough is enough,” she argues. “We have a duty to speak out on behalf of the millions of children and young people whose education is being affected. Heavy workloads, which are a direct result of the funding crisis and the constant curriculum changes, are affecting the mental and physical health of staff.”

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PROFILE

Funding and workload will be at the heart of the National Education Union’s campaigning. Both issues have significantly affected FE, where Whiteley has worked for two decades. Until she left her role in 2014 to take on interim manager contracts, she was employed as director of arts in the faculty of arts, media and entertainment at Barnsley College. She had worked at the college for 17 years, as a lecturer, course leader and then head of department and faculty director.

The sector today is a world away from the one she joined as a lecturer in journalism and media, when she switched from an 11-year career in journalism back in 1997. After studying at night school for a qualification to teach adults, Whiteley began teaching music and giving piano lessons to people aged seven to 76.

That was the beginning of her teaching career, and 20 years on she is still in touch with many of her former students. She is proud to have contributed to their success and adds that today’s children and young people deserve the same opportunities.

“If you’re on a vocational course in a college nowadays, you’re lucky to get three days of teaching, but nobody seems to have noticed this,” she says. “There has been a silent erosion of teaching input in FE.” She dismisses a promised funding boost as “Government spin”.

“In a college where, say, 13 hours of teaching is offered on a course, we are told there’s now money for another three as part of new technical qualifications. But these additional hours will be paid at the same poor rate, so how is that a funding boost? There may be more hours, but if they are underfunded, what’s the point?”

“That’s not going to help with the quality of teaching, with the size of

groups, recruiting and retaining staff who have big groups and are feeling pulled in all different directions and are, in some cases, leaving their jobs,” she adds. “In FE, management responsibility has been pushed downwards, pay has been pushed downwards and the outcome is stressed people, tired people, unhappy people, and people leaving the profession.”

At one time, the course leader role was about quality of the curriculum, she says, whereas now they are expected to take

she introduced. That was seven years ago, before the cuts really began to bite.

“Those kinds of ideas were just tinkering around the edges to get us out of a bit of a hole. We are well beyond that and we’re now forcing colleges to behave like businesses. Making sure you’re not wasting public money is right, of course, but there’s value for money and there’s asking the impossible.”

That is what is forcing so many talented professionals out of teaching.

“WE USED USED TO TO SAY SAY THAT THAT WHEN WHEN THE THE “WE GOVERNMENT STARTED TO CUT SCHOOL GOVERNMENT STARTED TO CUT SCHOOL FUNDING PEOPLE PEOPLE WOULD WOULD TAKE TAKE NOTICE, NOTICE, FUNDING AND THAT’S THAT’S WHAT WHAT HAS HAS HAPPENED” HAPPENED” AND on management responsibilities – and for less money. “It’s too much. Some of those people came into teaching to teach. They didn’t want to be managers, they aren’t natural managers, they don’t want to manage staff. The biggest learning curve of my career was learning how to manage people effectively. It’s assumed anyone can do it. They can’t without the right training and support.”

As head of a big department at Barnsley College, responsible for 1,300 FE and HE students, Whiteley says she was a driven person. “I’d always go above and beyond, but that can be a weakness as a leader.

You shouldn’t push yourself to the point where you’re exhausted. You aren’t leading your team effectively if you do that.”

Most managers and leaders are sensible and are all too aware of the theory, she admits. In practice, the demands of leading in education now are such that the tendency is to keep ploughing on, delivering more for less and paying the price in terms of quality and their health.

Taking care of physical and mental well-being can help. As a trustee of a meditation centre, Whiteley is a convert to mindfulness and the immediate benefits of simply learning breathing exercises as a way of managing stress. “When I did the mindfulness course, I realised that you can just be running through life and never taking a full breath or pausing to think.”

During her time as head of department, Whiteley says she did her best to avoid having to restructure to cut costs, instead proposing ways to bring in extra income.

A children’s club and a community choir were among the cash-generating ideas

Too little money in the system, too much unnecessary work. The early exit of new teachers, burned out after five years, is “shocking”, she says. Others are rising through the ranks far too quickly and are given leadership responsibilities too soon.

One of those Whiteley knows is a primary school teacher, promoted to deputy headship after just two years as a teacher. Three months later she had quit.

“She’s now back in the classroom and enjoying it far more than being a deputy.

After only two years, it’s not surprising that she didn’t have the experience or the resilience to cope.”

Even for the more experienced, developing resilience isn’t always easy.

“When I think of resilience, there are two college principals who come to mind.

One of them was brought in to get the college out of severe financial difficulties many years ago. He used to walk into town every day, smoking his pipe, going for a coffee, regardless of what was happening. He was very calm. I realise now he was allowing some space in his working day to quietly think about things. That’s what makes you resilient.”

The other principal used to say to middle managers that if they didn’t have time to pause and look out of the window at the sky, then they weren’t doing their job properly, remembers Whiteley. “At the time, it made me cross.

I used to think how dare he!” she laughs.

“Actually, though, again it was about pausing, keeping yourself emotionally and physically healthy, so you can be strong and support others in a professional and ethical way. So you can lead.”

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R E S OUR CE S/C ON TA C T S

FREE TICKETS TO LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE It’s your last chance to sign up for AMiE’s first leadership conference on 25 November. Speakers include Roger Bretherton, who will be talking about the psychology of leadership, and executive headteacher Marie-Claire Bretherton, who will present on how she and her team turned around a school in special measures in 18 months, achieving its first ever ‘good’ grading.

Steve Chalke MBE, founder of Oasis Charitable Trust, which runs 50 academies, will be delivering the keynote speech: Roots: leading from who you are. Breakout sessions to choose from will include: working in partnership with your governing board,

recruitment and retention, and managing change in difficult times.

Recognising that budgets are stretched, AMiE is offering places FREE on a first come, first served basis. Given the anticipated popularity of the event, if you are allocated a ticket but are unable to attend, please let us know as soon as possible so that your place can be offered to someone on the waiting list.

3 MORE INFO See page 17 to find out more about Marie-Claire Bretherton. Profiles of Roger Bretherton and Steve Chalke are on www.amie.org.uk, where you can also book your place. Alternatively, contact jordan.biermann@neu.org.uk.

NON PARTY POLITICAL FUND

WEBINAR ON APPRENTICESHIPS

NEU policy adviser Janet Clark will be hosting a webinar for headteachers, school business managers and governors in November, offering advice on hiring and mentoring apprentices, so they can recoup the apprenticeship levy.

She will also provide a policy update on apprenticeships.

For more information, contact janet.clark@neu.org.uk.

NEW AMiE WEBSITE

AMiE’s website has been relaunched and now offers a wide range of resources, including expert written publications, advice and guidance, and a programme of CPD. www.amie.org.uk.

Members of the National Education Union will soon be asked to vote on whether they wish to create a non-party political fund to support our work around influencing politicians at events, opposing racism and fascism, and encouraging people to register to vote. Back in 2009, ATL’s Executive Committee agreed that ATL should establish a non-party political fund.

A postal ballot of eligible members, including AMiE, ATL section, the NUT section and new members, will run from 1 to 22 November 2017 asking whether the union should open a fund – which will not be used to affiliate the National Education Union to any political party. Some 17 unions within the TUC have non-party political funds to allow campaigns on the issues that matter to their members. Education unions NASUWT and UCU, and civil service union Prospect, have funds and also do not affiliate to any political party.

We urge members to vote ‘yes’ to help the union’s campaign work. A successful ballot means members will make a small payment towards the fund in addition to their subs. The move to hold a ballot, and the areas on which the funds can be spent, form part of the new union’s rules. Should a fund be agreed, members will be able to opt out of the fund payment. See www.neu.org.uk/nppf.

Leading to outstanding teaching and learning: giving pupils a firstclass experience (Birmingham)

Talent management: how to recognise and nurture the talent around you in difficult times

Ethical and authentic leadership – Doing the right thing. This one-day course will allow you to reflect on different leadership approaches. In doing so, it will help you understand what ethical leadership is and discover your own authenticity as a leader.

19 January 2018

7 February 2018

2 March 2018

AMiE LEADERSHIP EVENTS

ABOUT AMiE We are the only union to represent managers and leaders across the entire education sector, providing: • help, advice and support: a confidential helpline, online guidance and a network of professional and experienced regional officers to support you in your role as both an employee, and as a manager or leader • excellent personal and professional development: accredited training and development opportunities for you in your role as a manager or leader • a voice in the education debate: an opportunity to influence policy and get involved in issues that affect you • publications and resources: a range of free publications focused on contemporary leadership issues • more for your membership: discounts and rewards for you and your family on a range of products and services.

Join online at www.amie.org.uk/join or call 0345 811 8111 (local call). Let AMiE take you further.

WHO CAN JOIN? Colleges: AMiE welcomes managers at all levels in FE colleges, sixth form colleges and adult education providers.

Schools: We warmly invite school headteachers (including those in academies), deputy headteachers, assistant headteachers, acting headteachers, bursars and business managers to join AMiE. We also have many members in national organisations, training organisations and other areas of the education sector, including HE.

CONTACTING AMiE National helpline Tel: 01858 464171 For help and advice, email: AMiEhelpline@neu.org.uk AMiE 35 The Point, Market Harborough Leicestershire LE16 7QU Tel: 01858 461110 www.amie.org.uk

Mark Wright Director of AMiE Tel: 020 7782 1530 Mobile: 07436 805330 Email: mark.wright@neu.org.uk For membership queries, please contact the membership department on 020 7782 1602 or email: membership@atl.neu.org.uk. *TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY, VISIT WWW.AMIE.ORG.UK FOR FULL SUBSCRIPTION DETAILS, MEMBERSHIP ELIGIBILITY AND FURTHER INFORMATION.

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MASTERCLASS

Believing in restoration, not redundancy HOW AN EXECUTIVE HEAD AND THE NEW HEADTEACHER LED A SCHOOL FROM SPECIAL MEASURES TO ITS FIRST ‘GOOD’ GRADING WORDS SALLY GILLEN

W

hen Mount Street Academy in Lincoln was asked to support Benjamin Adlard Primary School, which was 11th from the bottom of the national league tables, Mount Street’s executive headteacher Marie-Claire Bretherton knew it would be the most challenging task of her career to date.

Benjamin Adlard, in Gainsborough, had never been graded ‘good’. It had many challenges: 33% pupil turnover in every 12-month period, 62.7% of pupils eligible for pupil premium, and 43% of students with special educational needs or disabilities.

As part of the same multi-academy trust, CfBT Schools Trust (CST), Mount Street and Benjamin Adlard already had a link. Mount Street was considered to be the perfect partner, not least because it is a national support school – a national designation for schools delivering external ‘whole school’ support to others in need of significant improvement.

“I saw children experiencing hardships that I had never come across before, but I refused to believe that they didn’t deserve the same opportunities and outcomes as other children in our county,” says Bretherton. “However, I had to dig very deep to demonstrate a belief that things could and would change for the better.”

There was a lack of systemisation or common approaches to planning and assessment, she says, so it was back to “first principles”. Systems enabling teachers to monitor children’s progress and identify best practice were introduced.

“Every classroom teacher had been using

their own assessment framework and marking policy,” explains Bretherton. “There was no culture of professional support or challenge between teachers. Staff had retreated into their classrooms and were doing what they could. They were doing their best, but the school was rudderless.

“Diagnostics of the school’s weaknesses and needs was undertaken. Our observations and the Ofsted report itself told us a lot – but it was then knowing what to do with that information and making sure we had the capacity to improve that was so key,” says Bretherton.

A strategic school improvement team was established, and leaders from across Lincolnshire were brought in to help the school. Staff at Mount Street and the Kyra Teaching School Alliance, made up of 53 primary schools across Lincolnshire, supported peers at Benjamin Adlard.

“The approach to improvement was radically different from anything the school had experienced before,” she says. Senior leaders of education (SLEs) supported the school to develop its marking and feedback policy – ensuring assessment systems became far better aligned and supported children’s ongoing progress; providing coaching and ongoing book scrutiny; and

supporting middle leaders on areas such as curriculum development, and teaching and learning in maths.

SLEs, with colleagues from across Kyra, supported middle leaders, enabling them to become more confident in observing the quality of learning within their subject areas and in coaching those on their teams to improve.

Every teacher kept their job. “It wasn’t a case of going in and replacing the teachers. I took the view that if the teachers were willing to work with me to make things better, and they showed a commitment to learn, then they should stay,” says Bretherton. “I chose to believe in redemption, not replacement, in restoration, not redundancy.”

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MASTERCLASS

In September 2015, Bretherton appointed Sam Coy as head of school, a move described by Ofsted as “a turning point for the school”.

“Sam has recognised the talents, skills and passions of everyone in this school and channelled that into setting high expectations and ensuring everyone is focused on contributing to improvement,” she says.

Benjamin Adlard has achieved remarkable results at key stage 2 in 2016 and again in 2017.

Pupil progress in the school now places it in the top 10% of all schools in England.

When Coy was appointed head of school at Benjamin Adlard, many of his colleagues were more than a little surprised. He was 27, had qualified as a teacher just five years earlier and had limited leadership experience.

“Many thought I’d lost my mind,” he laughs, adding: “I was taking on one of the lowest-performing schools in the country, but my feeling was I could only make gains.”

Not that he was so sanguine when he was offered the job 45 minutes after his interview. The initial elation was swiftly replaced by fear. Although Coy had been invited to apply for the role by Bretherton, he never expected to be successful.

“Marie-Claire really took a gamble on me,” he admits. “But I think she took it because I had a TLR in one of my previous schools and I had been a lead practitioner with responsibility for behaviour.”

Before starting the job, Coy read a lot of books on leadership.

“I twisted myself in knots about the right way to lead. Then it occurred to me that leading a school is no different from leading a difficult class. You focus on building trust. You don’t find fault, you don’t isolate and you set an expectation that everyone has the chance to achieve.”

He adds: “I could see potential from the very moment I walked into the building.

Teachers were hardworking, the children were friendly and their eyes flickered with curiosity and hope. But the school was in a desperate place.”

For six weeks, he praised the positives and noted the negatives. Then he began making changes, focusing on behaviour – an area that needed to be tackled urgently and in which he knew he could make a difference. A positive rewards system was introduced, with simple things such as holding doors open, earning children silver or gold stars. Children would be rewarded with something like a pizza party with the headteacher. Everything was relationship-based, Coy says. It wasn’t a case of just giving a prize to a child, but spending time with them.

“Everything we do is about making connections with children,” he says.

Another area where there has been significant improvement is parental engagement. When he joined the school just 23% attended parents’ meetings.

Now it is 86%.

Coy introduced new transitions meetings, where new pupils’ parents meet him and the school’s full-time family support worker to go through their circumstances to identify problems that they may need help with. A full-time SENCO and a student social worker are also employed. “We need to make sure children are fit for learning and families are getting the support they need,” he says.

For staff, the focus has been professional development. “I introduced a Teacher Tracker, which is 21 things that I thoughta really good teacher would do in a successful and high-performing classroom,” says Coy. “Monitoring and evaluation is then used to identify

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MASTERCLASS

Executive headteacher Marie-Claire Bretherton knew supporting a special measures school would be a huge challenge

Sam Coy’s appointment as head of school at Benjamin Adlard was described by Ofsted as “a turning point”

Marie-Claire Bretherton will be speaking about how to lead in challenging times at AMiE’s leadership conference. To book, go to www.amie.org.uk/ leadership-conference.

the teacher’s strengths and where they can develop their practice. Teachers then get an hour with me every half-term to talk through where they are with the 21 areas and how, as a school, we can support their professional journey and improve provision for our pupils.”

Coy is clear that the help and support he had settling into the role from Bretherton has been key. “My skill was in building relationships with children, staff and parents, and Marie-Claire had the strategic knowledge and vision.”

In April, Bretherton moved on and Coy was appointed headteacher.

He recognises that not all new heads are fortunate to have the level of help and support in learning how to lead that he has had. But he says it’s important not to make the mistake of becoming so bogged down that you feel there’s no time to look beyond your school to find help when you need it. “Visiting another school, ringing a head elsewhere, reading articles. These types of things are really important in helping you make the right decisions,and if you don’t do them

you can waste a lot of time floundering,” he says.

“If you want to take on a challenge it’s worth doing that in a school where the gains are potentially huge. It’s where you can make a difference,” he adds.

Sam Coy’s tips for becoming head of a school in special measures 1. Relationships Focus first on all the things that are good. This builds trust and allows confident and comfortable relationships to develop. In the same way that every child needs a champion, so does every staff member.

2. Systems and consistency If staff have a network of clear systems, workable policies and correct tools and policies, they will fly.

3. Leading by example Being a school leader is hard work, but lead by example in every way. If the canteen is short of staff, put on an apron.

If a class needs covering one afternoon, teach. You won’t be able to do this forever, but for the first few months, staff need to see what you can do and what you expect of them. This will help you get to know your school inside out.

4. Belief and positive growth mindset Doubts, fears or feelings of helplessness are important and should be embraced, but use negative feelings to drive yourself. It’s fine to cry in the office once everyone has gone home, but during the

working day present to your staff and children the persona that it will be ok.

Talk about why and when you will be graded good.

5. Trust in others’ abilities There is an assumption that everything in special measures schools is going to be bad. This is not true. Trust in the abilities of others, harness raw skills and talent and use their experience.

They will help you set your vision.

Teachers and other staff in your school have a wealth of skills and, as an effective leader, you must identify them.

Trust in staff, deploy them effectively and develop them to get the best possible outcomes for children. Find out about your staff and, when you’re confident about their strengths, tell them.

Then trust them by giving them the responsibility to lead – in their classroom, in their subject, in an initiative or as part of your senior leadership team.

“I COULD SEE POTENTIAL FROM THE VERY MOMENT I WALKED INTO THE BUILDING... BUT THE SCHOOL WAS IN A DESPERATE PLACE” OCTOBER 2017 | ELM 19

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ADVICE

In the shadow of the former head

What you can do to forge your own path when you take over WORDS MARK WRIGHT, AMiE DIRECTOR

I’m a new head and I’ve replaced someone who was very popular. I’m struggling to make my mark.

What can I do?

This is a common concern. However, you need to remember that the governors appointed you to lead, so that gives you legitimacy.

The high regard others have for the former head is not necessarily synonymous with low regard for you. It is just natural that a good reputation takes time to build.

First, let go of trying to compete with the legacy of the former head and instead accept it. It’s not a bad thing to build on their good work, but resist attempts to simply emulate. You set the standards, according to your intrinsic values.

They will shape the way you work and therefore the way your school runs.

Busy yourself with making the role your own. This takes time. Your professional persona will change automatically as you are seen to be leading effectively, even if this is in a very different manner from the former head.

Some new heads make lots of changes to put distance between

the old and new regimes. However, be careful about how much change you introduce. It is sensible early on to review processes and procedures, but if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Lots of change usually means lots of extra work, which isn’t likely to endear you to your staff. It may also seem like you’re undermining the respected work of the former head. Instead of competing with the ghost of your predecessor, develop your leadership, focusing on your emotional intelligence.

Emotional intelligence guru Daniel Goleman highlights five key emotional intelligence drivers relevant to your situation.

1. Self-awareness Build your self-confidence by accepting any negative emotions you may have, but focusing on honing the positive feelings about yourself and the work you are doing.

2. Self-regulation Manage your emotions, don’t let them manage you. Redirect all your energy into shaping your role rather than wasting it on concerns over how others have played the role.

3. Motivation Draw on your inner moral purpose to invigorate your drive and passion for the opportunities presented by

the role of headship. You need to be a wellspring of optimism.

4. Empathy Meet all the staff individually, listen to and explore their perspective, their passions, their insecurities. Ask what they would like to see changed. And also what they wouldn’t like to see changed and why.

5. Social skills Display warmth in getting to know your staff and forge strong relationships as you consult them on any proposed changes before acting decisively based on firm evidence. Have an open-door policy, and mean it. And further – make sure you get out of your office early on and attend as many school activities as possible to meet parents, staff and pupils.

You may wish to consider maintaining a foothold in teaching. This can be a good way of building your profile and standing as you get to know the pupils, as well as garnering the respect of staff. Good luck, and do contact AMiE again if you need professional advice in future. We are not here simply to offer protection when things go wrong. Go to www.amie.org.uk for publications, training courses, and help and advice.

“LET GO OF TRYING TO COMPETE WITH THE LEGACY OF THE FORMER HEAD AND INSTEAD ACCEPT IT. IT’S NOT A BAD THING TO BUILD ON THEIR GOOD WORK” 20 ELM | OCTOBER 2017

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U N I O N M AT T E R S

WAGING WAR ON WORKLOAD The National Education Union will place workload at the top of its agenda WORDS NANSI ELLIS, ASSISTANT GENERAL SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION POLICY AND RESEARCH AT THE NATIONAL EDUCATION UNION

T

he National Education Union will place workload – which continues to be a major issue for staff at schools and colleges – at the top of its agenda, alongside funding. Building on the successful campaigning of ATL-AMiE and the NUT, the National Education Union will support members to work together to understand the impact of policies and practices on their workload, and to commit to reducing, changing or stopping practices that will have little benefit for pupils’ learning in terms of the hours these practices take.

As ATL-AMiE, we began campaigning for a reduction in workload in November 2015 and our campaign #Make1change has led to a huge amount of change in individual practice. But there is still much to do.

With 450,000 members from across the nations, we will be better able to support each other to reduce workload. The National Education Union will bring more pressure to bear on governments to come up with solutions: not just guidance on reducing workload, but also changes to the policy implementation and

“WITH 450,000 MEMBERS, WE WILL BE BETTER ABLE TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER TO REDUCE WORKLOAD. WE WILL BE ABLE TO PUT MORE PRESSURE ON THE GOVERNMENT TO COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS”

accountability regimes that drive workload from the top.

The Department for Education’s workload survey, published in March, showed leaders are working an average 60-hour week. Findings from the survey showed that teachers in England are spending 33 hours a week on tasks other than teaching.

Excessive workload is not just a problem affecting teachers. Education staff across the sector are struggling under the weight of excessive hours, with full-time further education lecturers, for example, working 48 hours a week.

The National Education Union will produce guidance on how to reduce workload. We will also be carrying out surveys of leaders and teachers on their workload, and we will use the findings from our surveys to press the Government to do more to cut unnecessary workload, which it has been pledging to do since 2014.

Unnecessary workload is resulting in staff burnout, ill health and an exodus from the profession. It is also having a detrimental impact on the home lives of staff.

In turn, the recruitment and retention crisis is making leaders’ jobs even tougher. Research by the National Foundation for Educational Research in April showed retention among headteachers is dropping. It fell from 94% in 2012 to 92% in 2015 among primary headteachers, and from 91% to 87% among secondary heads.

Leadership members are working with their staff to solve problems.

AMiE’s quick survey of members in February showed 26% have reviewed their policies in areas such as marking, which is a big time-stealer.

However, our survey also showed 81% believe workload has got worse and 62% attribute that to constant policy change. The job is being made impossible by Government

The National Education Union will be calling on governments to:

•

•

• • •

•

•

assess all changes in terms of the time they will take to implement, and give staff sufficient time to plan and prepare with all materials in place r evise inspection and data collection to hold schools accountable for things that matter and are meaningful, rather than things that can be easily measured m ove away from national testing of all pupils in primary and early secondary schools a dequately fund schools and colleges p rovide support for sustained professional development for all staff, built on their initial training, and, in particular, training for leaders ensure all agencies and all employers involved in education are committed to reducing workload in schools and colleges, and have in place plans to do so b e held accountable for the impact of policies and practices on students’ learning.

continually making changes that include: the curriculum, assessment and qualifications, funding cuts that have led to staff losses, and too many agencies requiring information.

Please do complete the workload survey, which you will receive by email.

3 MORE INFO For more information, go to www.amie.org.uk.

OCTOBER 2017 | ELM 21

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FINAL WORD

he 1st of September marked the launch of the National Education Union, when ATL and the NUT amalgamated – a seminal moment in education trade unionism. With more than 450,000 members, the National Education Union is the biggest education union in Europe, and the fourth largest in the TUC. Of course, size matters. It enables a union to do more with greater resources. But size is not the only, or even the most important, element in a successful trade union.

AMiE, the leadership arm of the ATL section of the National Education Union, is neither the biggest nor the most high-profile of the education leadership unions. But it is AMiE that has led the way in developing the concept of ethical leadership in education. How do leaders and managers fulfil their professional responsibilities in an ethical way, providing professional respect combined with appropriate challenge to those colleagues they lead, in a challenging time of budget cuts and inadequate resources in schools and colleges?

Education leaders and college managers face unprecedented challenges. It is becoming ever more difficult to recruit and retain teachers and lecturers in schools and colleges.

The Government’s determination to retain the cap on public sector pay badly affects morale. Leading and managing colleagues during a period of rapid change, with the imposition

of ill-considered education policy (think of the introduction of the new GCSE maths and English qualifications and the rolling programme of qualification reform – conducted at breakneck speed by ministers with completely inadequate input from teachers and with completely inadequate information from Ofqual), means a difficult job just gets that much harder.

And if school leaders find the heat from the DfE rather too strong, college managers have been through the fire. Changes to funding and qualifications, college mergers, apprenticeship reforms and devolution of adult skills all demand good management if they are to be translated into effective, workable

A GAME CHANGER M A RY B O U ST E D, N AT I O N A L E D U C AT I O N U N I O N J O I N T G E N E R A L S E C R E TA RY

“OF COURSE, SIZE MATTERS. IT ENABLES A UNION TO DO MORE WITH GREATER RESOURCES. BUT SIZE IS NOT THE ONLY, OR EVEN THE MOST IMPORTANT, ELEMENT IN A SUCCESSFUL TRADE UNION” practice in colleges. And then there are the brave new worlds of apprenticeships and T-levels to be encountered (and we might hope, perhaps vainly, that the Government will have learned something here from its botched implementation of GCSE and A-level reform).

It is high time the Government understood that its policy agenda would be implemented much more successfully if it were done with, rather than done to, school leaders and college managers. And this is why the National Education Union will be a game-changer. The National Education Union’s reach into schools and colleges will be much greater.

Drawing on the expertise and experience of AMiE members, the National Education Union will provide a strong challenge to poorly conceived and poorly implemented education policy, a challenge based on professional knowledge and expertise, evidence and careful thought about possible alternatives. The National Education Union will propose positive alternatives, based on a professional knowledge of what is likely to work on the ground.

This is vital work that needs member input. Now is the time to get involved in your union. Even though you are very busy, please take the time to respond to our surveys and sign up for our CPD events. The union exists only through its members. We want to hear from you.

22 ELM | OCTOBER 2017

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